Watches: Centuries of Style

Traces the fascinating history of personal timepieces, noting the most prestigious makes & offering practical tips to collectors. Personal timepieces did not exist until the 16th century, when the mainspring was invented, enabling clocks to become portable. As the horological science became more sophisticated, moving parts of timepieces became smaller, & during the 18th century pocket watches became fairly commonplace among the rich. With intricate movements & ever more elaborate cases, pocket watches were items of great beauty. In the 19th century the first wrist watches were produced, but they were not mass-produced for another 100 years. Illustrated with a stunning array of color images. "A valuable & beautiful reference book."